This invention relates to an improved cover, which may be utilized for an air filter to provide a resilient snap fit.
As is known, air filters are utilized to filter the air passing from a source of air to a vehicle engine. Typically, the air filter is captured between an upper cover and a lower cover. The two covers are secured together in some fashion. Typically, wing bolts having threaded nuts secured onto the bolts hold the two cover portions together.
However, as is known, the vehicle engine is subject to a good deal of vibration. Thus, the wing nut connection has not always provided a good connection over time. Moreover, it is relatively time consuming to remove the nut and then resecure the nut.
In a disclosed embodiment of this invention, an air cleaner upper cover is secured to a lower cover by a snap fit connection. More preferably, the snap fit connection includes at least one wing member having a wedged surface, which extends through a wedged surface slot in the other cover member. The two cover members are aligned with the slot in the one cover member aligned with the wedged wing surface. As the wing surface moves through the slot, the two wedges on the slot and the wing cam the wing away from the slot wedge surface. Once the wing portion has moved through the slot, the wing twists back over the surface adjacent the slot.
Most preferably, the wing portion is provided on a post, and the post extends through the slot after the wing has moved entirely through the slot. This post receives a torsion force as the wing is being cammed through the slot. This torsion force returns the wing to a relaxed position once it has passed through the slot. In a most preferred embodiment of this invention, the wing has wedge surfaces spaced on opposed sides of the post, as does the slot. In this way, surfaces on both sides of the post are applying a torsion force to the post as the wing moves through the slot.
The present invention thus provides a resilient snap fit connection for holding two cover portions together. Most preferably, the two cover portions secure a filter element for a vehicle engine.
To remove the cover portions the wing is simply turned in an opposed direction, similar to that achieved by the wedge surface in the slot. The two cover portions may then be moved away from each other with the wing portion moving through the slot.
These and other features of the present invention can be best understood from the following specification and drawings. The following of which is a brief description.